We started off today by going to the Cat Lai Terminal which is the largest and most modern shipping port in all of Vietnam. This was really fascinating to see rows and rows of shipping containers that were ready to be loaded onto ships. They do have plans for expansion because of the increasing production of goods in Vietnam. Plus, since Vietnam is growing industrially, they need to import more of the products to make the stuff they are going to export. Since they are exporting more products, they need to expand the port and they have already occupied all of the land that they can, so they are expanding onto the river. Although, if the tariffs go into effect, I do believe that port operations will be reduced because manufacturers cannot afford to keep producing the same quantity. However, it does depend on how much of a tariff is imposed on Vietnam. One thing I found very interesting was that they can unload and load a ship in 12-18 hours and they can move 81 containers per hour. Applying to sustainability, the port is trying to switch over some of its diesel powered vehicles to electric to reduce emissions. Also I was able to carry rice from the conveyor belt into the shipping container and it was so heavy. I honestly had no idea how to carry it, so it just crushed me. Overall, it was mind blowing to see how a very complex operation seemed to run very smooth.

After the port we went to the American Consulate office in Ho Chi Minh City to learn about the economics of Vietnam. It was a very fascinating and knowledgeable visit, especially since we discussed the tariff prices and how they are affecting Vietnam. They said that if the 46% tariff goes into effect, companies will not be able to continue operating in Vietnam. However, I learned that manufacturing will not directly go back to the US or other countries because that takes billions of dollars of investment and requires other countries to train workers for that task. Additionally, they mentioned how their job is to ensure that people trying to go to the US can apply for visas there. It is also a place for US citizens to go if they need anything while they are abroad. Overall, I learned that the overall responsibilities of the consulate office do not change that much between administrations. However between the Biden to Trump administration their focus shifted from working to establish steady supply chains to reducing the trade deficit.

To end the day we went to the Banh Thanh Markets which was a very crowded and overpriced marketplace to buy souvenirs and knock off items. I got a few items for the experience, but I definitely got ripped off. Some of the people seemed to get really angry and made me feel like they wouldn’t be able to feed their family if I did not pay them what they asked for. I just had to take my emotions completely out of the picture and give them a really low price. I also started walking away and then they would cave and I would get closer to the price I wanted. However, the Vietnamese students from UEF still said I got ripped off, even though I reduced the price by several hundred thousand dong. I still prefer to just go to a regular store with a set price because it is much less exhausting! Overall, I learned a lot today about the port, the American Consulate, and bargaining.